Most of my life I've been in Atlanta and I'd never really interacted with the homeless. The closest I came would be walking to Braves games and see one person playing his bucket drums and 10 feet further another would be playing a sax for money. (So when I was little I thought I'd be a cool musician like them and play for Braves fans, now I'm a percussionist)
But then I never truly thought of them as people, just scary people you weren't supposed to make eye contact with. Then I went to the high school class at church, my teacher, a very well of man, always talked about his visits with the homeless. He'd go down to a bridge close to his house a few times a week, pick up a homeless person and take them to his house. There he'd let them take a shower, shave, eat a good meal, and watch some games on tv. After that he'd take them around to places to apply for a job. I was amazed when I heard this...he'd made eye contact with them!
Then I went to college. One of my friends from the drumline invited me to go with a group to the Salvation Army. I said sure, really not knowing what I'd be doing when I got there. So the group of about 20 met up in the bible building. We caravaned into the city and met back up at Wendy's. We bought 55 junior deluxe cheeseburgers and proceeded to the SA . We got there, handed out the burgers and just talked. At first I was so nervous, I didn't know what to say. But they are some of the most interesting people I've ever met. Many of them are vets and they have some great stories, many of which aren't G or PG. Others really just never settled anywhere. They want to see the world, so they get a job somewhere, work a few weeks and hop on a bus and go to the next town. I met quite a few guys who had everything stolen by their ex wives, and were trying to get back on their feet. One lady was on her way to live with her daughter on a ranch in Colorado, and gave me a number and address to come see her there.
Over the last year, they really inspired me. Though many had made mistakes in life that had them in a rough spot, they were all trying to change their lives.
This is amazing. I've never really had interactions with homeless people but I've always wanted to be able to help them...wait I take that back...when I was little my dad owned a shop in town called the miracle store...people donated stuff and he gave it out to the less fortunate...he even dressed up like santa and went to people's houses with gifts for their kids...it was on the news a few times and it's in a book called happy are they...
but isn't it amazing how those people that we tend to look at as being so bad off are usually the least judgmental and most understanding people ever?